Page 23 of Love By Sunset

Jake thought sadly both he and his sister had learned the art of silence about their affairs to avoid overloading his parents while his father had been so ill. He’d been able to turn to Henry, but he realised now Claire hadn’t had a mentor like him. He knew she’d crewed in the lifeboat, and he’d assumed they’d offered her occupation and support during her older teen years.

A few moments later, they both sat down at the table closest to the counter.

‘How long has she got left?’ Jake pushed the plate over to his mum.

‘She’ll finish next June.’

‘I hope she gets a job she likes. Anyway, how are you doing?’ Jake asked, stirring his coffee.

‘No cake?’

‘Ah, I had some earlier. One piece a day is all I allow myself, and I missed my run this morning, so I’m already doing badly regarding diet and training.’

Jake’s mum fiddled with her fork before smiling sadly. ‘Well, it won’t matter just this once. I don’t know why you have to be so hard on yourself, anyway.’

‘Because I still want to surf? Because I’m still asked to do demos and talks? Because I want to keep fit?’ His voice was gentle, but he knew his Ma would detect the slight rebuke.

‘Oh, I’m sorry, Jake.’ Annie Bradstock forked up some cake and ate silently. ‘Gorgeous, as usual.’

‘Thanks. Anyway, what brings you here?’

‘I do come here occasionally. Does there have to be a reason?’

‘Well, no.’ Jake grinned.

His mother eyed him carefully. Clearly, she wanted to say something but was uncertain how to start.

‘Come on,’ Jake said. ‘Spit it out.’

‘What a horrible expression.’

‘Stop prevaricating.’

Sighing, Annie laid down her fork and looked directly at him. Jake probably wouldn’t like what was coming.

‘I met Jenny Needham this morning. In the shop. She commented how busy she was now, doing a lot of extra work for you. So obviously I asked her why, and she said you were spending a lot of time with a looker—’

Jake gave a shout of laughter.

‘That’s what she said… a looker. Older than your usual ones you pick up on the beach. Classy. Long dark hair and nice blue eyes. Jenny said she had a way with her, very polite but friendly. She said she was nice. She also said this lady wasn’t all gooey-eyed about you and could hold her own.’

‘And?’

‘Well,’ Annie laid her fork down, then thought better of it, picked it up and jabbed it in Jake’s direction. ‘None of this sounds like you. Whenever I’ve seen you round town with one of your holiday candy-flosses—’

‘Mywhat?’ Jake’s mouth fell slightly open, a look of puzzlement on his face.

‘That’s what I call them. Your candy-flosses.’ His mum laid her fork down again. ‘Typical glamour chickens out to catch a man for their holiday romance so they can plaster it all over Facebook and make their friends envious.’

‘Chickens?’ Jake felt slightly bemused. And Facebook? He’d no idea his Ma had even heard of Facebook.

‘Chickens.’ She nodded firmly. ‘Like candy-floss. Fluffy and decorative, maybe appealing… well, to you, they would be. But I worry about you, Jake. You seem to find it impossible to form any meaningful relationship, and I worry it’s because you saw little affection between your dad and me when you were a teenager, because he was always so ill and—’

‘Ma. Ma, hush. Don’t beat yourself up about my lack of meaningful relationships, please. I’ve told you often enough, as tactfully as I can, I enjoy my life as it is.’ Jake shook his head, his eyes brimming with laughter. ‘Candy-flosses! I’m loving that.’

‘Yes, but Jenny said this one was different, and you’d never asked her to open up the café before, all the years you’ve worked together, but you’ve done it twice now and—’

‘Jenny should learn some discretion,’ Jake muttered, pushing his chair back from the table, crossing his long legs at the ankle and folding his arms across his chest, feeling like a small boy caught out after breaking the window by accident.

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